Touching The Darkness
by SilverDeathscythe
Summary: *UPDATED* When the Bladebreakers have to stay in a mysterious old hotel for the night, they risk their sanity to discover the secrets that lie within. Can they survive the darkness or will it consume their souls for all eternity?
1. Enter The Shadows

Authors Note: Hi again! SilverDeathscythe here with a new fic that has NO yaoi in it? Wow. Anyway, some of this is actually based on a true story! There's an old hotel in my town and it's not being used anymore. One of my relatives does security there at night so I get to go exploring in it sometimes. The place is HUGE and it's really easy to get lost in all the halls and the rooms but after a while you'll eventually end up back where you started! There isn't much left in it but it looks amazing and the stuff that is left is really old fashioned! And trust me, wandering around in there by myself in the middle of the night is quite scary! So this is where I got the idea to write this, and playing too much Eternal Darkness on my GameCube just added to the need to write something a bit spooky!  
  
//. . .// = thoughts. (Just so you don't get confused!)  
  
Warnings: Blood, violence, swearing and other stuff. That's why I rated it R.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, Eternal Darkness or anything else in this fic!  
  
  
  
**Touching The Darkness**  
  
By: SilverDeathscythe  
  
  
  
Tyson carefully walked up the rotting steps of an old hotel and peered curiously at the antique door that greeted him. "Are you sure?" he asked as he turned around to face his fellow travelers. Tyson watched as Rei tilted his head up to inspect four dark towers that rested on the upper part of the building, one on each corner. They were covered in ivy trails and fungus and loomed dangerously over the six people standing below.  
  
"I don't think we have much of a choice. . ." said Kai, always in a cold, sharp voice. Mr. Dickinson nodded and stepped forward to knock on the brittle door. "The lad is right, we need a place to stay and this is the only hotel for miles!"  
  
Max shrugged and pulled his coat tighter around his small body. It was just past midnight and the air was crisp and windy in the autumn season, making everyone shiver.  
  
Tyson moved over to allow Mr. Dickinson more room in front of the door as they waited patiently for it to be answered. It wasn't long until the heavy wooden door creaked open and they were greeted by a thin, sick looking man dressed in expensive old-style clothing. White locks of curly hair hung around his head in a tidy fashion and swayed when he spoke. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Yes, yes. . . we need a room for the night, can that be arranged?" spoke the head of the Bladebreakers team. Mr. Dickinson was a polite old gentleman and never seemed to be upset, even in these kinds of situations.  
  
". . .Follow me." came the drawled reply of the servant as he lead them into the enormous building. It was like walking into a museum! There were numerous paintings of fine art spread across almost every wall, even though some were a bit morbid. There were also many bookshelves and small tables decorated with pieces of pottery and delicate china. The group of beybladers were in awe as they walked across the plush carpet that lead to the front desk.  
  
An older man in a green velvet suit stood up and in a cracked voice he said, "Welcome gentlemen, how many rooms would you like?" His eyes were dark, yet glinted with a strange look as he met the weary travelers.  
  
"Three, please." Mr. Dickinson looked at the boys with a tight smile on his face. "Sorry, but we're on a budget and we weren't planning on making a stop here. It looks like you'll have to share rooms again."  
  
There was a collective groan from all of them, especially Kai, at the mention of this. Soon everything was ready and they headed to the elevator. As they stepped inside, Tyson pushed the button to the fifth floor, where their rooms were, and waited. Everyone listened in anxiety as the elevator started to ascend, making strange scraping noises like it hadn't been used in years. "I'll bet we're the first visitors here in a long time!" Max said quietly.  
  
Tyson sighed in relief when the doors opened, signaling that they had made it to their destination safely and everyone headed to their rooms. Kai was with Rei, the only person he could get along with, Tyson shared a room with Max and the Chief stayed with Mr. Dickinson to help figure out plans for the next tournament. So they were divided into pairs but that wouldn't last long. . . they would need to be together in order to survive the night. . .  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Rei threw his bag on the floor of his and Kai's room before collapsing in a tired heap on the bed. "I can't believe we have to stay here. . . this place freaks me out!" he groaned. Kai walked around the luxurious room, admiring the fine wooden furniture and Persian rug under his feet.  
  
"Well we could've stayed in some cockroach-infested motel on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere! Would you rather that?" stated Kai with thick sarcasm in his voice.  
  
Rei laughed. "Yea I suppose you're right. Maybe I'll go take a shower. . ." He stood up and glanced around the large bedroom, searching for the door. "Where IS the bathroom?" he asked sheepishly. Kai sighed and pointed to pair of double doors that waited on the other side of the room, partly open.  
  
". . .right!" said Rei with a grin. He wandered into the equally large bathroom and admired the beautiful marble floor and ivory sink. //Man, with all this awesome stuff you'd think we were staying in a palace or something!// thought Rei, totally in awe.  
  
He stepped into the shower and relaxed under the hot spray of water that flowed over his tired body. Rei closed his eyes and smiled wistfully. When he was younger he had always wanted to live like a prince and now, it seemed, was his chance! //Although, it is kind of strange how there seems to be no one else here besides us. If this is such a grand hotel it should be flooded with visitors!//  
  
Suddenly the water began to run colder and Rei's eyes snapped open. His heart stopped when he saw what met his gaze. Spiders, earwigs and other disgusting creatures crawled all over the walls and began to pool around his feet.  
  
"Agh!! Gross. . .!!" A shiver ran down Rei's spine as turned off the water. He jumped out of the shower and shook himself off, in an attempt to get rid of the creepy tingling that ran through his entire body. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before dashing out of the bathroom without looking back. He didn't need to see that wretched sight again. . .  
  
"KAI!! We need to get out of here, this place is infested! Kai. . .?" Rei asked. His friend was apparently studying a painting that hung above a brass mirror and was ignoring his urgent cries.  
  
"Hey, Kai! Give it up, this hotel is crawling with bugs, I'm not staying here tonight. . . are you listening to me??" Rei was beginning to get angry. He walked over but stopped when he saw something on the mirror. A stream of crimson liquid trailed down the clear glass. //Blood. . .?//  
  
"Kai what's wrong with you?" He walked over and turned the other boy around to face him, dropping to his knees in horror. It wasn't Kai, it couldn't be! A strangled scream escaped the frightened boys lips as Rei stared at the gruesome sight before his eyes. Kai had painful slashes all over his arms, face and stomach, the torn flesh hung loosely from the deep cuts. But the worst thing was his eyes, or rather, lack of eyes. They had been gauged out and now left hollow, bloody crevices where they should have been.  
  
He couldn't stop himself from screaming louder as all this registered in his mind. Rei closed his eyes and held his head in his hands. His whole body shook with fear as tears of panic streamed down his face. This was the worst thing he'd ever seen in his entire life and he really couldn't handle it. . .  
  
*********  
  
Max jumped up when a loud scream echoed through the hotel. "What was that?!" he asked. Him and Tyson were staying in the room next to the one that the scream had come from. He began to get worried when the screams started up again.  
  
Tyson looked in the direction of the noise. "It sounded like Rei!" He scrambled to his feet and dashed toward the door with Max right behind him. In the hall they met up with Kenny and Mr. Dickinson who had also come running to the sound of Rei's terrified voice.  
  
"What's going on here?" another voice from behind the group said. Everyone turned to see Kai standing there with a confused look on his face.  
  
"I don't know, we just heard Rei screaming! Where were you? Aren't you supposed to be his room mate?" Tyson asked.  
  
Kai just shrugged. "I went to get some ice while he took a shower. . ." he moved over to knock on the door but received no answer. Rei continued screaming from inside, oblivious to his friends that were trying to get his attention.  
  
Kai reached over and tried the door, finding it unlocked. "Stay here. . .I'm going in. It IS my room after all." He handed the bucket of ice to Tyson before he carefully walked in and looked for Rei, finding him on the floor with only a towel around him.  
  
"Rei! What's wrong?" he asked, rushing over to his fallen friend. He touched Rei's arm lightly and watched as Rei looked up with confusion in his frightened eyes, but at least he stopped screaming. Kai helped him up and Rei finally began to come back to his senses.  
  
"Kai?? . . . you're alive! Oh my God, you're alive!" Rei cried, flinging his arms around Kai's neck and hanging on for dear life. Kai hugged his friend back but he was still a bit confused.  
  
"Of course I'm alive. . .why? What happened?" he asked.  
  
Rei calmed down a bit and spoke with a trembling voice. "I'm going fucking crazy, that's what happened! It was so real. . . I saw you, and you. . . you were. . ." he couldn't finish as a new wave of tears and shivers assaulted his body.  
  
"It's ok, Rei, now get dressed. I'll go tell the others that you're fine. They were worried about you too, after hearing all the screams and everything. . ." Kai said. He walked out of their room, closing the door behind him.  
  
Rei was still a bit nervous but shook his head. //It was all an illusion, it wasn't real. . . I just have to keep telling myself that!// he thought. //Well, if that wasn't real then maybe the bugs weren't real either!//  
  
He decided to check it out after he got dressed and found that his assumption was correct. The bathroom was clean, not a creature in sight. //Ugh. what's wrong with me? I know I saw it, I felt it. . .//  
  
**********  
  
Kai stood with the others outside the room. Tyson shook his head and sighed, "So, you're saying he thought you were dead or something?"  
  
"Apparently. I guess he only imagined it, because I'm pretty sure I'm still alive. . . " he said with a bit of his usual sarcasm.  
  
"Maybe the poor boy was just tired. It's been a long day for all of us and with the American Beyblade tournament coming up, he must be under a lot of stress." said Mr. Dickinson.  
  
Kenny nodded in agreement, "I read in Health Line Magazine that anxiety can sometimes be the cause of hallucinations." Just then, the door opened and Rei stepped out. His eyes were still a bit red but he tried to smile for his friends.  
  
"Hey Rei, feeling better?" Max asked. The blond haired boy was always concerned for his friends well being. Rei shrugged but said nothing.  
  
Tyson perked up. "Why don't we get something to eat? I'd love a midnight snack!" he said cheerily. He was mainly trying to get Rei's mind away from what had just happened but he was also a bit hungry.  
  
"Tyson! That's all you ever think about. . . but whatever, I wouldn't mind a bite to eat myself." said Kai. He looked over at Rei and raised an eyebrow. The other boy still looked out of it so Kai waved a hand in front of his face. "Hey! Rei? Wake up, man!"  
  
Rei's eyes snapped back into focus and he shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm really not in the mood to eat right now. . ." he said. //Even it was only an illusion, how do I know it won't happen again? Am I going insane. . .?// he thought. After seeing those visions, that's all he could think about. As the group went their separate ways once again, Kai couldn't help but worry about Rei's safety, as well as everyone else's.  
  
**********  
  
"Ah, for a hotel this old, it sure has good food!" exclaimed Tyson, leaning back in his chair. The restaurant in the hotel was, of course, empty except for the two Bladebreakers that occupied the far corner of the room. Kai nodded in agreement before pushing away his plate. Max had volunteered to stay with Rei for awhile and Kenny wanted to explore the enormous building. Mr. Dickinson went back to his room to get some sleep.  
  
"Hey! Guys, come here! I found something totally amazing!" Kenny ran in, waving his arms in the air. Kai and Tyson jumped up and ran over to the excited genius. "What is it?" asked Kai.  
  
"Yeah Chief, tell us!" Tyson was getting excited just thinking of what it could be, he didn't even give Kenny a chance to reply.  
  
"I've discovered an old library in the hotel! You have to come see it right away!" Kenny pointed in the direction he had just come from.  
  
Tyson looked disappointed. "A library. . .? What's so big about a library?" Kai folded his arms across his chest, waiting for an explanation.  
  
"Well, it's not just a library. . .there's something there you need to see." Kenny started to walk away and the other boys followed silently. They went through a very nicely decorated hallway and into another large room. It looked like an office with many, many bookshelves. Then, Kenny led them over to a book on one of the shelves and flipped it open. There was a note attached to the back of the front cover, it read:  
  
'To reach my chamber, the key is 555. Don't let this information fall into the wrong hands, Dorlan. I'm trusting you to bring what I require.' It was signed 'S. L.'  
  
"Who's Dorlan?" Kai asked.  
  
Kenny shook his head, "I have no idea but I also figured this out. . ." He walked over to an elegant grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "See, if you look closely, you'll see that the clock has stopped ticking! So, if I set it to 5:55. . ." he trailed off as he did it, moving the hands to their right places until a low rumble could be heard in another part of the room. The two astonished boys turned to see that a new pathway had opened up where the shelf had been. It was now moved to one side and in it's previous position, a dark musty stairwell made it's presence known.  
  
"How. . .did you do that?" muttered Tyson. He was amazed at this discover but even more impressed with the Chief for figuring it out. "I couldn't have made that connection if I tried!"  
  
Kai peered over Tyson's shoulder at the empty space that led below and shuddered. "I have to say, that was incredible! The chances of that actually working were low but. . .he did it." This was a rare compliment from Kai and Kenny accepted it greedily.  
  
"So. . .are we going to go down there?" the proud genius asked.  
  
"I don't know, shouldn't we tell Max and Rei about it first?" Tyson said.  
  
This was a great discovery indeed and the others had a right to know. But there was one other thing that was bugging Kai, "Where's the hotel manager and the servants anyway? I haven't seen them since we first checked in. . ." he said.  
  
Tyson just shrugged, "Maybe they went to bed. Although it is kind of strange. . . then again, what time is it?" Kenny looked at his watch, "It's 1:30 in the morning now!" he said.  
  
"Right. . . then I'd say they decided to lock the doors and go to sleep!" Tyson stated. He decided that this was a reasonable enough answer and headed back to get the other members of the team.  
  
**********  
  
"Are you sure you don't want something to drink?" Max asked. He was really concerned for his friend. Rei hadn't said much after Kai and Tyson left but Max was doing the best he could to help Rei get over it. //Man, it must have been bad if he's still shook up about some stupid illusion. . .// the blond thought.  
  
The other boy, as always, refused the offer. It would probably make him sick anyway. Max walked over and quietly sat next to Rei on the bed. "Do you want to tell me about it? What you saw, I mean. . ."  
  
Rei sighed but decided it would be better to get it off his chest. "Alright. Well, first it happened in the shower. . . I saw dozens of disgusting bugs crawling down the walls all around me, even under my feet so I got out, naturally. Then, when I reached our room. . ." he shuddered, remembering the sight of his friend, butchered and sliced with blood oozing from his skin and eye sockets. "I saw Kai, he had cuts all over his body and his eyes were missing, just empty holes in his head were left. . . it was horrible. And then, then I found out it was just and illusion, my imagination, but it couldn't have been! It felt so real! I even touched his cold skin when I turned him around to face me! I can still feel those creepy bugs crawling all over my feet, Max, don't you get it? It was real!"  
  
Max listened to the story and he suddenly felt sick. His face had gone pale and his shaking hands were gripping the bed tightly. "I see. . . no wonder you were so freaked out! God, Rei, what the heck do you think happened?" Rei shook his head, "I don't know. . . I think I'm going nuts, that's all!"  
  
Max was about to reply but a loud knock was heard at the door, making both boys jump up from the bed in a fright. They looked at each other and blinked, trying to calm their racing hearts. Rei began to walk slowly over to the door with Max right behind him and grimaced as another series of loud bangs cut through the silence. He opened the door a bit and looked out. There were Kai, Tyson and the Chief, talking quietly among themselves.  
  
Rei sighed in relief and smiled. "Hey guys, what's going on? Finished eating. . .?"  
  
The other three looked up to face Rei, their eyes held a serious look of anxiety. Kai spoke first, "Rei, we've found something, you and Max have to come check it out. Now." It wasn't a question, more of an order. It left Rei bewildered and nervous, //What if it's something gruesome? Can I handle another mental break down tonight?// he thought. But then he shook his head. //What am I thinking, I know I'm braver than this. . . it can't be as bad as the vision I had earlier!//  
  
Max poked his head out from behind the door with an almost child-like curiosity, "What is it, Tyson?" he asked. Max was always up for an adventure so he was ready for anything, that is, unless it involved dead people. . . that wasn't good.  
  
"Just come here. . .it's a long story!" replied Tyson as they all started walking in the direction of the newly discovered path. Rei just hoped he could hold onto his sanity long enough to actually get there!  
  
**********  
  
Five pairs of eyes stared down into the dark abyss that awaited them. A chilled, dusty smell greeted them. "So how do you expect to see down there? Does anyone have a flashlight?" asked Tyson. The others shook their heads. This wasn't something they had planned on so how could they have known to bring an object like that?  
  
"I have an idea! What about a torch of some kind?" Rei looked around the room and found three partly used candles in brass holders. "It's a bit medieval but it'll have to do. Kai, can I borrow your lighter?" he asked.  
  
"Sure." Kai nodded and dug into his pocket to find the small cigarette lighter. He tossed it to Rei, who caught it and proceeded to spark the candles with it.  
  
Tyson stared at Kai with a questioning gaze, "Why do you have a lighter? Do you smoke?" he asked. Kai shrugged. "Occasionally." He replied, simple and to the point.  
  
"How come you never told any of us?" Tyson continued to badger the leader of the Bladebreakers with questions and Kai was beginning to get annoyed, "Because it's none of your business! Rei knew, obviously, and he didn't care so just knock it off!" Tyson knew that Kai could become dangerously violent when he got angry so he made a wise decision and kept his mouth shut.  
  
"Got it!" Rei announced, handing a candle to Tyson and Kenny and keeping one for himself. Even though there wasn't enough for everybody, the small flames that flickered from the wicks were enough to light the way. The old stairs creaked under the weight of the five teens as they made their way down into the rooms below.  
  
"Maybe there's a switch or something around here, if the rest of the hotel has electric lighting, then it should be down here too!" Kenny remarked when they reached the bottom of the stairs. The dim light of the candles was enough to show the floor under their feet and a bit of the surrounding, but definitely not enough to make out any detail in the room they had entered. Kai felt around the walls, scowling when he ran his hand through a spider web, until he found a small switch. He flicked it and a few bulbs sparked into existence, giving them a near perfect view. The three who held candles blew them out, saving the candles for later incase they were needed.  
  
Tyson glanced around the room and whistled. "Woah. . .fancy!" he noted the old English desk that sat in the middle of the Study. The portraits on the walls were done in exquisite watercolor, giving them a life-like appearance and lined in brass and silver frames. The hard wood floor was dusty and littered with papers and books and other strange artifacts. There was a door at the opposite side of the room but the handle was missing.  
  
"According to the size of the upper levels, this floor and any other floors that might be under it should be just as enormous if not bigger!" exclaimed the Chief in awe. It was strange that a hotel this size would have even more rooms unknown to the public.  
  
"Hey! Do you still have that note, Kenny? Maybe this was the 'chamber' that was mentioned in it!" said Max with excitement. As soon as he heard the story, he was determined to uncover the mysteries of this place. It was like something out of a story book or a good mystery movie!  
  
Kenny reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the faded piece of paper. After looking over it once again, he shook his head. "I doubt it. There seems to be more to this hotel then we know and considering that there's a door right over there, this can't possibly be it. It's too simple. . ."  
  
While Max and Kenny were talking, Rei decided to explore the room a bit, running his hands over the desk to clear away some of the dust. He looked down at an old book and saw that some of the pages were sticking out in all directions and had a yellow tint to them. The cover was made of soft leather with a double bind across the front in silver, and small gems were placed neatly near the side to trail down the edge of the book. There was a strange emblem on the front as well as broken lettering that might have spelled out the word 'IRKIEA'.  
  
"Guys, I think you should take a look at this! I found some kind of strange book. . ." Rei said. He lifted the book up to the dim light and was surprised to find it quite heavy.  
  
The others stared at it in wonder. It looked so expensive, like everything else they had seen so far. Kai moved closer and reached out to touch it, as if he didn't believe it really existed. "We should open it. It might tell us something important. . ." he said quietly. His voice cut through the silence that had descended upon them, echoing in the musty atmosphere. Rei nodded and placed the text back onto the surface of the desk.  
  
Kai came to stand beside him and put his fingers gingerly on the cover to undo the binds. Suddenly an eerie feeling washed over him, like voices telling him that something was wrong here! Kai paused before shaking his head to clear his troubled thoughts and continued to pull apart the dusty leather covers. Time seemed to stop as energy surrounded him. The air crackled as Kai was infused with a power beyond his wildest imagination. It surged up through his fingers and straight to his brain with an almost painful tingling sensation. It was so immense, Kai screamed and clutched his pounding head.  
  
"Oh man, what's going on? Kai! Are you alright? Christ, what the fuck is happening now?!?" A distraught Tyson asked. His heart was pounding as he felt exactly what his team mate was feeling, the slight electrical sparks that shot through his body made him numb.  
  
Max and Rei staggered as their vision began to blur. They could hear the muffled cries of their friends, desperate for somebody to help. Max was starting to lose control. The room was spinning around in his head and the last thing he remembered before total darkness consumed them all, was a mysterious white face. It's features were twisted with an evil smirk and harsh lines, making it unrecognizable. He reached out, unknowing, wanting nothing more than to wake up from this dangerous and horrible nightmare.  
  
**********  
  
Black. Utter and total darkness was the only thing Kai felt and saw. His entire body ached with a pain that he couldn't quite pinpoint the source. He tried to move but found cold metal against his wrists and ankles, restraining him to the spot. "Where the hell am I?" he groaned. This was definitely a bit out of the ordinary!  
  
"Ah, but that's exactly it! You're in hell. . .are you not?" a deep, malicious voice interrupted the few incoherent thoughts he had. It seemed to come from all directions and aimed directly at the leader of the Bladebreakers. Fear lurched through Kai's veins, making him tremble slightly.  
  
"Who. . .who's there? What do you want with me, dammit?!" he screamed with an unsteady voice. Kai was always strong and courageous but never. . . never in his life, had he imagined this would happen.  
  
A low cackle was the only reply he received until the lights flashed on, blinding him instantly. Kai slowly opened his eyes, adjusting them to the illumination and gasped. He was hanging on a stone wall with chains keeping him suspended above the ground. The shackles cut into his skin slightly but Kai ignored the pain, focusing on the source of the light only.  
  
Flames danced with excitement in the center of what looked like an alter. There were smaller candles surrounding the main one and strange markings were carved into the walls and floor. But the fiend who was responsible for all of this madness was nowhere in sight. //Oh man. . .I'm gonna die!// thought Kai. As he stared into a bowl of water in the center of the alter. It disturbed him greatly to see no reflection staring back at him. //Or maybe I'm already dead. . .!!//  
  
= = = To Be Continued. . . = = =  
  
Authors Notes: MUAHAHA! So? What did you think? This is my second fic here on FF.N! Yay! Anyway, I have a lot of big ideas for this story and this is only the beginning! But I start school tomorrow (going to Grade 10!) so I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to write more. . .soon I hope! I actually really enjoyed writing this one! So bye for now! ^_^ 


	2. Trouble Awaits

Authors Notes: Well, here's chapter 2!! Sorry it took so long but I've been EXTREMELY busy with school and stuff. I'm actually getting the confidence to post more of my writing! I'm really glad a lot of you liked it so I hope you enjoy this chapter too! Although, it gets a little confusing now. . . oh well, on with the fic!!  
  
Warnings: Blood, Violence and other junk. Rated R.  
  
Disclaimer: Um. . . yeah. Right. . . don't own 'em.  
  
  
  
  
  
**Touching The Darkness - - Chapter 2**  
  
By: SilverDeathscythe  
  
  
  
Max slowly opened his eyes, drinking in the beautiful sunlight that grazed over his tranquil form. There was a slight breeze, rustling the long blades of grass that surrounded his body and making it tickle his pale skin. He laughed happily and sat up to get a better look at where he was. "Man, what happened? How did I end up here? I can't remember a thing. . ." he spoke softly to himself. Max stood up and something caught his eye. A figure only a few meters away, watching him intently. The blond boy took a closer look and a wide smile spread across his face as he recognized who it was. "Dad!" he shouted, running over to his father.  
  
As Max got closer, he noticed that something didn't seem right. The older man was there, unmoving, just watching his son with a grin on his face, beckoning for Max to come closer. //But why. . . why can't I shake this feeling of dread? It must be from Rei's story earlier. . .That's it!// He thought as something clicked in his mind. "This doesn't make sense! I was at the hotel with my friends, so how the heck did I end up here? Wherever 'here' is. . ." He said out loud.  
  
It seemed that as he started to figure out what was really going on, the scene before his eyes changed. His father began to move, shaking with violent, inhuman tremors as his eyes rolled back into his head. Max watched as the man's skin began to come apart, tearing in half straight down the middle with a nauseating ripping sound. //No!// The poor boy watched helplessly with tears in his eyes as the person he loved most in the entire world became something else, a creature of the darkness that was beginning to make it's way back into the atmosphere.  
  
Max mustered all his courage and looked directly at the disgusting sight. He noticed that something was actually coming out of the mutated body. A fairly large brown and black. . . thing. It dripped with blood, puss and slime as it roared, announcing it's arrival. The creature had two scythe- like claws on each arm and three eyes, glazed over with mucus, staring straight at Max. The quivering boy didn't know what to do and as if by instinct, he shut his eyes tight. //It can't be real! Maybe. . .maybe if I just close my eyes everything will be ok and I'll wake up! Just like Rei did. . . but he said it wasn't an illusion! So what if I'm wrong?// He dared to look up again and froze to the spot. The beautiful day in the field was no more, in it's place was a dreadful night in that damned hotel!  
  
A frustrated and terrified shriek escaped his open mouth as his eyes roamed over the rocky ground. He was standing at the side of a large, gaping hold that seemingly led down into nothingness. The deep black that went on for an eternity. He gasped and carefully reversed away from the edge before letting his eyes examine other parts of the room.  
  
They landed on the one and only painting in the chamber, on the other side of the enormous pit. It was an immense, twisted work of art. It was the monster. //Was that what I was seeing? A painting. . .?// Max thought, completely taken aback. It was obviously using the image of his father to lead him into that hole and fall to his blood-spattered death.  
  
Max averted his gaze to something a little less disturbing, a large locked trunk was what drew him in. He slowly moved to it, occasionally looking back over his shoulder at the disgusting picture, and checked the lock. It was a pad lock and it seemed to be chipped in a few places. He reached over and picked up a sharp rock, pounding on the flaws that were evident in the metal.  
  
Eventually it snapped apart with a clinking sound as the pieces hit the ground. Max didn't hesitate to fling open the trunk and peered in. His breath caught in his throat as he examined the spectacular crossbow inside and gently reached in, placing his clammy hands around the handle. "Woah. . .cool!" exclaimed Max. For the first time in his life, he held an actual weapon, a merciless killing machine! He gasped as brief images flashed through his unstable mind. Visions and thoughts of Tyson, his best friend, being shot in the neck by a crossbow bolt!  
  
//Gah! This is why I don't play with sharp objects. . .! Just ignore it and everything will be ok, all ok. . . nothing's wrong with me! Because there's NO way in hell that I'd ever slaughter my friends!// But he honestly didn't know what to think. . . in this crazy place, anything was possible! //But then again, it's my only source of protection! If I leave without it, I may not live to see tomorrow's dawn. . .// Max thought darkly. With that, he looked up at the horrid portrait of the beast, wanting nothing more than to rip it to shreds. For an instant, he thought he saw it move, a little speck of green dripping from its claws. Max shuddered and readied the crossbow, aiming it at the monster's head before shooting at it. He gave an evil smirk as the bullet struck through the center of the painting and made a silent promise to himself that no matter what happened, he would never betray his dearest friends! But weather or not he kept that promise was up to the demons to decide.  
  
**********  
  
Kai looked around the room, flickering light danced across his face to illuminate the fear that was slowly becoming more evident. He always acted strong around his team mates this was totally different! He didn't even know where he was anymore, alone and chilled to the bone. Kai attempted to be strong again, to put the mask of ice over his face as a protecting shield. "Alright, I'm sick of this! Who are you and what the fuck do you want?" he said in a deep, shaky voice.  
  
Low murmurs could be heard from many directions, voices of impending doom that caused Kai to lose focus. //Where? Where is it coming from?!//  
  
"Kai. . .Kai. . . K. . .ai. . .Ka. . .i" the voices were whispering in the shadows. Kai was becoming hysterical! He couldn't move, chained to the wall and unable to defend himself against whatever was doing this.  
  
"Leave me alone. . . just go away! Please! Make it stop. . . oh God, make it stop. . ." Kai felt hot tears streaming down his flushed face. //This can't be happening! Oh man, what's going on? Somebody help me, please, I'm scared. . .// he thought to himself. The voices were becoming louder and echoed in his mind. Scared was definitely an understatement.  
  
"Oh, but this is too much fun! Why would I want to let you go?" A strong, raspy laugh pierced through the darkness. A figure stepped out from behind the fire on the alter, making his face visible. Kai screamed.  
  
"TYSON!?! What the hell? Let me go. . . please! I'm begging you, ok, begging! I don't know what you're doing but just knock it off!" A bead of sweat trailed down the side of Kai's head as he watched Tyson move closer. Then it hit him. This was definitely NOT Tyson! Sure it looked like his friend, but Kai could see the dark, dead eyes that didn't belong to Tyson at all.  
  
A flash of silver glinted in the dim light. A dagger. "Get away from me you psycho!" Kai screamed as loud as he could but his throat was quickly becoming sore. He coughed and shook his head to clear his thoughts.  
  
'Tyson' smirked and came even closer to the visibly shuddering boy hanging on the stone wall. He raised the dagger that was in his right hand and placed it underneath Kai's shirt and gave it a quick tug upwards, completely slicing the shirt apart. Now, with the pale flesh exposed, the edge of the knife came down slowly on Kai's muscular chest. Just enough to touch the skin.  
  
"I can do whatever I want with you, Kai. And you can't stop me!" he said in a rough monotone. Kai swallowed hard as he felt the blade press into his chest. It traced down the delicate flesh and made a shallow incision, about four inches long. Kai winced and gritted his teeth from the sharp pain that split through his upper body.  
  
"I know you're not Tyson so who are you? Why am I here?" Kai hissed. The monster ignored him and continued to cut another bloody smear across the first one to make a cross. Then, completely out of the blue, a sharp object flew through the creature's neck with a disgusting slice, spraying green, slimy liquid everywhere as pieces of the body were scattered. Kai flinched when the gruesome sight met his eyes. He snapped his head up and looked around, trying to find the source.  
  
"M-Max??" Kai stuttered as he saw the blond boy standing a few feet away, looking absolutely revolted. Max gulped and the crossbow slipped from his grasp, falling to the floor without a sound. "Hey Kai. Need some help?" he asked wearily.  
  
"How. . . did you know? How could you tell that it wasn't really Tyson? Get me down from here and then, you have a lot of explaining to do!" Kai growled. Max walked over and inspected the shackles with a sigh. "I don't think I can! They're locked tight!" he exclaimed. Max glanced over at the splattered body and found a small gold key around the oozing neck. He carefully crept closer, afraid to touch the unmoving form that still looked a lot like his best friend. "Hold on, Kai. I'll get the key."  
  
He reached his hand down, heart pounding fiercely in his chest, and looped his small fingers around the chain that held the precious item before giving it a hard yank. "Got it!" Max exclaimed, admiring the key and flicking a bit of slime off it.  
  
"Max! Watch out!" screamed Kai, looking over his friend's shoulder. "What. . .?" Max inquired. Then he felt it. A cold hand wrapped around his ankle and sharp nails dug into his skin. "Argh! Let go! Shit, it's still alive!" he thrashed wildly and gave his leg a strong kick, sending the mutilated body across the room and straight into a rock wall. The two boys watched as it slid down the bumpy surface, leaving a trail of slime in it's path.  
  
Max shuddered, "Oh man, that is SO gross."  
  
"I agree. . . now get me out of here!" Kai demanded.  
  
After releasing the other boy from his restraints, Max quickly led them away from sinister chamber and back to where he'd come from. Grabbing the fallen crossbow along the way.  
  
//I survived. . . for now!// thought Kai as they went through numerous corridors. He wiped away a bit of red blood that trickled from the wound in his chest. Then he remembered something. "How did you find me, Max? And where did you get that weapon?" he asked suspiciously. For once, he was almost afraid to hear the answer, //What if that isn't Max at all? Then what will I do. . .? Nothing, I'll be totally screwed. But right now, I have to trust him! I have no other choice. . .//  
  
"I followed the echo of your voice through the halls, that's how I found you. The crossbow was in an old trunk I discovered earlier. What? You're afraid I'll use it on you or something?" Max laughed dryly. Kai scowled but said nothing. Eventually they might get out of here. . .might.  
  
//But where are the others? And Mr. Dickinson. . . does he even know what's going on down here?// Max thought to himself with a feeling of dread. Kai had come so close to being killed by that thing, the others could be in the same kind of danger!  
  
"I just knew it wasn't Tyson." Max shook his head. "He'd never hurt you. I know him and he'd never try to harm anyone like that!" Kai nodded, accepting the some what unbelievable answer. No matter what Max saw with his eyes, his heart and conscience could not deceive the truth. But right now, he had to concentrate on keeping himself and Kai alive! He walked in front of them with the deadly crossbow aimed and ready, just in case.  
  
**********  
  
Rei was running. He clutched the leather-bound book tightly to his chest as he tried to concentrate on where he was going. There wasn't a lot of light in the narrow hallways and even for an experienced White Tiger, the task of trying to navigate was difficult. . . especially when he had no idea what could be waiting just around the corner! A deep groan from behind made Rei quicken the pace, trying to get away from whatever was chasing him. It was some kind of undead, zombie with bulging veins and bones showing through paper thin flesh. It just seemed to progress forward without even moving it's legs! //Damn, it's getting closer! I can't keep running forever. . . eventually I'll run out of places to go or I'll collapse!// His breath was coming in hard, ragged pants as he fought to maintain his speed. "Ugh. .. how can he. . . be so. . . fast?" he said to himself, gasping for breath.  
  
Rei's heavy footsteps pounded on the ground underneath his feet as he made a sharp turn, coming face to face with a big wooden door. //Woah. . .let's just hope it isn't locked!// he thought as he grabbed the handle tightly and pulled it back as hard as he could. The door swung open with a creak and Rei dashed in, slamming it firmly behind him and locking it with a massive iron bolt. His eyes were shut tight in the darkness, trying hard to clear his mind and calm his racing heart. The room was pitch black and he couldn't see a thing! He could also hear the sound of claws scratching against the door. This made him even more nervous!  
  
//How the hell am I supposed to calm down when I have some blood-thirsty monster chasing me! Man, I'm gonna crack if I have to put up with this any longer!// he sighed in exasperation and slid down against the door, placing the sacred book on the floor next to him. He hated that book. It was the only logical reason that his friends were nowhere to be seen and horrid monsters were running wild in every direction! But it was also the only clue Rei had so he decided to hang on to it.  
  
Rei could still hear the hallow moans and groans coming from the beast on the other side. He bit his lip and tried to come up with a plan of some kind. Then, the Chinese Beyblader remembered that he still had the candle and Kai's lighter! Rei stifled a laugh when he saw the lighter again. Pink. //Why the heck does Kai have a PINK lighter?! Of all colors. . . but anyway, do I really want to see what's in here?// Rei thought, pulling the ivory white candle from his pocket. He had no choice. //I guess I have to if I plan on surviving!//  
  
The small ember produced a ball of light around Rei's solid form, casting eerie shadows over his features. With the dim light he was able to see a display case. He walked over to it and passed a hand against the beautiful frame, admiring the silver armor behind the glass. It was a Knight's armor! There was also a rather long sword with a well-defined blade that caught Rei's eye. He wanted so badly to touch that sword and make the evil beings in this place feel his wrath!  
  
Without thinking, he slammed his fist through the glass, shattering it completely and watching as the shards fell to the floor with a sparkle. Blood trickled down the top of his knuckles and dripped onto the cream colored carpet, staining it with a deep red. "Shit." Rei enclosed his bleeding fist with his other hand and winced. //What the hell did I do that for. . .? Argh. . .stupid, stupid, STUPID!//  
  
He drew in a quick breath and tried to recover from the pain and shock. "Ok, here's my chance! I just have to take that sword and. . ." Rei's voice trailed off as he heard the door splinter, a bony hand reached through the damaged wood, ripping the door apart. "Oh fuck!!" he screamed and lunged for the blade in the case.  
  
Rei was surprised to feel the icy metal against his skin when he clutched the hilt, swinging the heavy blade into the air. He slashed wildly at the zombie that was now reaching blindly for Rei's throat, the blade cutting into the dead flesh and making a deep gash.  
  
The thing fell to the ground in a messy heap, only a bit of blood trailed from the lifeless body. Rei felt sick but smiled in triumph as he wiped the mess off his blade. "See you in hell, bastard!" he spat to it furiously. Then another noise, footsteps in the distance caught his attention. //More?// Rei held the sword up, ready to attack whatever came around that corner. He could see the shadows of two figures approaching slowly. Closer. Closer to the hall he guarded with a metallic blade.  
  
He stood still, waiting to see what hideous monstrosities were lurking in the shadows as dread pulsed in his veins. As the two figures came into a clearer view, Rei sighed in relief before lowering the blade. "Max!! And Kai? Oh my God, you scared the living shit out of me!" he yelled, hearing his own voice ricochet off the barren walls.  
  
Rei hurried over to greet his friends with a smile on his pale face. //I never thought I'd be so happy to see them! But I am and. . . hey, is that a crossbow?// he eyed the weapon with uncertainty. "Where did you get that Max?" he asked, pointing to the weapon.  
  
Max smirked, "I could ask you the same thing. . ." he said, indicating the long knife in Rei's hand.  
  
Rei sighed, "Whatever, let's just get the hell out of here before one of us ends up decapitated! I don't know how much more I can take! And have you guys seen Tyson or the Chief yet?" Kai visibly shuddered at the mention of Tyson's name. It brought back the fear he felt earlier, the helplessness and terror of when he thought for sure he was going to be murdered!  
  
For the first time since the other two had arrived, Rei noticed the jagged marks on Kai's chest and gasped. Seeing it reminded him of the vision he had earlier back in the hotel room. He didn't have time to ask about it because Max was already attempting to tell him something and honestly, Rei wasn't sure he really wanted to know what happened to Kai.  
  
"No. Well, we did see Tyson. . . sort of. But not the real Tyson! But that Tyson's gone now and we still haven't found the real one!" Max rambled. Kai could only stare at the boy and Rei blinked.  
  
"Huh?" The Chinese Beyblader asked in total confusion. Max only shrugged, being unable to explain the whole thing in detail.  
  
Kai growled, "I'll fill you in as we walk. So shut up and lets get moving!" he stormed off in the opposite direction as he waited for the other team members to follow.  
  
//Oh yeah, I almost forgot. . . // Rei thought. He darted back to the room and picked up the precious book before running to catch up with his friends.  
  
"Hey Rei, do you think we should try to look through that book again?" Max asked as he eyed the text. That book contained the very darkest secrets of the hotel. //I want answers. . . and I want them now.// The only way to find out what was really going on was to read the manuscripts.  
  
Rei bit his lip, an action that was quickly becoming a bad nervous habit, and shrugged. "Are you sure? Don't you remember what happened last time? It nearly killed us all!" he spoke loudly.  
  
"Shut up, Rei! We don't have time for this! In case you haven't noticed, we're kind of being attacked by monsters here!" Kai was becoming impatient, his eyes darting about fearfully. Watching and waiting for something to happen. He didn't expect Rei's fist to connect solidly with his painted cheek and was sent stumbling back against the rough wall.  
  
"Bastard." Kai glared fiercely at his team mate and cringed from the feeling that was swelling in his face. //He's stronger than I thought. . . got to give him credit for that!// Kai thought.  
  
Max didn't know what to say. His friends were fighting at the worst possible time! "Hey! Both of you, give it up and just open the fucking book!" Max shouted, ultimately shocking the other two. One thing Max didn't like to do was swear, even only a little bit, so it definitely got their attention.  
  
"Right, whatever. . ." Rei looked down at the floor, his usually bright eyes were downcast and filled with regret. "Sorry, Kai, I guess I'm just kind of stressed out from everything that's happened. It doesn't make sense! We don't even know exactly where we are in this stupid place and Tyson and Kenny are missing! How am I supposed to feel?" The Chinese boy sighed. //This is madness!//  
  
Kai scowled "Yeah I suppose." He accepted the apology and reached over, claiming the book from his friend's hand and pressing his fingers to the cover. The shiny metallic parts of the surface glinted and shimmered. //Where is it?// Kai thought bitterly, //Where is my reflection?!// he peered deep into the metal and waited, but his confused expression was not returned.  
  
Then, an image began to form. //Finally! I guess I'm not going totally crazy, I'll leave that up to Rei!// Kai let a secret smile cross over his lips but gasped when he noticed that the face in the metal was not his own. //The Devil?!// His heart felt sinister and plagued as he gazed upon the deranged beast, smirking from where his reflection was supposed to be. "No!! What the hell is going on here?!" He shouted, tearing his eyes away from the evil vision. He passed the book back to Rei and fell to his knees. "I'm a monster."  
  
"Kai! You're not a monster, what are you talking about?" Rei questioned, placing a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder and tossing the heavy text to his blond friend. Max yelped as the book was thrown into his arms, making him stumble back against the rugged stone wall. Kai glared and swatted away Rei's hand. "What do I look like to you?"  
  
The Chinese Beyblader shrugged. "Like yourself, Kai. There's nothing different about you so just stop it! We have enough to worry about as it is!" Rei was becoming impatient again.  
  
Kai looked up and blinked. //What the hell am I doing?! This is crazy! I'm letting some stupid vision of Satan control my emotions. . . ok, so maybe that IS freaky but still, I have to stay calm!// Kai drew in a breath and stood up, trying his best to forget about the face of the Devil.  
  
//Ok, while Rei's trying to sort Kai out, I'll look through this thing.// The blond thought as he carefully pried back the cover. The pages were slightly tattered, yet still legible, and written in strange symbols with the exception of a few traditional Japanese words that Max could understand. There were also exotic diagrams and graphics that just seemed to boggle the mind even more. Max looked through the pages with interest until one picture caught his eye. He gasped and slammed the book shut with trembling hands.  
  
"Uhh. . . guys? I think we've got a problem. Tyson's in trouble. . .big trouble!" Max announced.  
  
- - To Be Continued  
  
Authors Note: So what did you guys think? Strange, right? Well that's ok because the next chapter's going to be even weirder! Yay! I'd really appreciate any comments or constructive criticism on my writing, ok? So that means you have to review now! ^_^ Bye for now! 


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